I spent my life inside the Beltway of DC – half a century now. I have seen how the place consumes people and then destroys their morales and honor. It is the endless power games, inside deals and ego trips of being ‘in charge’ that turn normal Americans into pathetic know-it-all politicians, consultants and elements of the political industrial complex.

Some folks can retain a core of sensibility – usually former governors like Reagan and George W Bush. These people established their political bearings and principles outside the reeking swamp of DC politics. But some darkness always creeps in (for example Senator McCain).

This weekend we are witnessing the culmination of all these long decades of rot at the heart of our democracy. We have seen months of open bribes to state senators for hospital money or exclusions from Medicare cuts. We’ve seen constituent bribes to unions to exclude their health care plans from the taxes of Obamacare (raising the taxes on the rest of us to compensate). We’ve seen special interest bribes to big Pharmaceuticals and Insurance companies. What we don’t see is even more frightening – all those secret back door deals and threats. We even witnessed a judgeship being offered to a congressman’s brother, as said congressman went to the White House to discuss his vote. Was it the offer, or the threat of removal that swayed? Who cares – it was gross.

We are now going to pass a bill that is unconstitutional – never actually having been voted on in the House. We see the illegal application of Senate reconciliation since it touches much more than the allowed budget adjusmtnents. We see an abortion option being added through ‘enrollment’, a process done AFTER bills are passed. All of these mechanism are meant to apply a minor, broad consensus ‘tweak’ to bills, not ram through elements of a coup d’etat.

We are seeing the arrogance of the dark side of power consuming DC and threatening our great Republic (and no, I don’t think the GOP has clean hands in this, but at least the see that this issue is not one to fold over).

I do see small rays of light. There is massive bipartisan opposition to this bill and to the corrupt manner it is being enacted. As I said previously, the process counts. For example, to become rich is not wrong, but to steal from others to become rich is an illegal process. There is now a courageous a group in Congress, which range from the center left all the way to the far right, doing what they can to stand in opposition. Moreover, Majorities Â and pluralities oppose this bill, and there is a near unanimous despise for this out of control Congress.

This should not be belittled or ignored. This core of lightness in the looming shadow of darkness is what will provide the foundation for destroying the darkness in the months and years to come.Â The ghosts of the Reagan coalition and are coalescing once again. For those who want to bash the center, be careful not to shatter this foundation, this last hope. Â The center is more in opposition than in support – it just happens there is a lot a corrupt congressional leaders and president can do to coerce and threaten.

I must admit I am conflicted this weekend. I don’t want America to slip into this socialist darkness. But on the flip side, by letting the liberals expose their grossness so completely, America has also turned the corner mentally to the idea of finally dismantling the behemoth in DC once and for all. I believe to destroy this darkness requires it to come out in full view and demonstrate its destructive intentions.

We Americans are good people. We don’t need DC to tell us how to live our lives. We don’t WANT DC to order us to do their bidding. Right now there is a great opportunity for a libertarian-based contract with America leading into the fall elections. If Obamacare passes by this ugly and naked liberal power grab, there will be broad support for a moderate dismantling of the federal beast.

So what do I mean by moderate here? I mean proposals that correct problems, not ones that are so reckless or hyper-partisan they create new ones. I will use education as my example of moderate overhaul of the federal role.

We have never needed direction from DC on how to educate our kids. This has and remains a local matter. However, if the states decided to pool some federal money to provide a national SUPPORT structure to local education I would be all for it. Â Here’s the primary difference: there would no mandates from DC – none. No laws, no rules, no paper mandatory paper work. Instead of leading, DC would follow.

The ‘Education Department” would transform into an organization to provide a conduit for ideas, lesson plans, innovation and emergency funds to states and school districts. It would work FOR the states – not the other way around. It would sponsor workshops and conferences where success stories and mistakes are shared. It would offer electronic repositories for lesson plans that worked and could be shared by everyone. It would provide a repository or link for virtual lectures from astronauts and industrial leaders and military heros to share their insights. It would become a TOOL of education, and it would work FOR the people.

This simple role reversal can work for much of the domestic side of government. Some areas will remain, such as the FCC, FAA and DoD. Some places would have to be completely redone, like FANNIE MAE and FREDDIE MAC (no more picking the pockets of Americans and leaving a destroyed economy in your wake). There will be accountability to the people and the states. The federal government will become a servant to the nation once again.

This kind of radical correction can only be supported in the face of radical destruction. Obama and the liberals in DC have created such a moment in time, and it is clear which side the American people are on right now. There is no Surge coming to save Obamacare and the liberals. The Surge will be to finally fix DC, and leave America to be free and alive as it was intended to be.

I think you’re right on, but I’m not sanguine the average American is at the point you are. During the Nixon Administration, there was a sea change in the way the public views the Executive. Their eyes were opened to the corruption that had become “normal”. It’s become a cliche that “Nixon did what they all did, he just got away with it”. But, to a large extent, it’s true. People in 1974 probably viewed the situation as the removal of one corrupt politician. However, in hindsight, we can see it was much bigger than that. What is expected of a President in terms of conduct in many areas changed forever.

It’s interesting. I’ve never seen anywhere close to this level of awareness and scrutiny of the conduct of members of Congress or the legislative proces. It’s truly amazing. People are saying things like, “Hey, this is the way Washington has always worked”, “that tactic has been used many times before”, or “getting votes this way is nothing new”. And, to a certain extent, it’s true.

Are we in the middle of the kind of shift with respect to Congress that was experienced with the Executive decades ago? Maybe the days of what has become essentially buying votes (be it through funneling money to a person’s disctrict, giving a relative a job, or whatever). Only time will tell.

I fear that we will lose the republic within our life time. We are going the way of Rome, have been for a long time. Maybe I am wrong, but I don’t see the ‘change’ that is happening being completely reversed.

The moves that the Democrats are making today are contrary to what the American public wants. In the past, our government accepted ‘NO’ and moved on. This is not the case today.

I know that the majority of Americans know that Social Security needs an overhaul. Change has been suggested on several occasions and have not been implemented because the U.S. public did not want it.

So now we can implement change because it is in our long term best interest. Why stop there?

The U.S. Congress declares and funds wars our military is engaged in. If it is in our long term interests, why not invade Iran? (Or any other country for that matter)

I guess we don’t really need Congress anymore. We could save a ton of money if we get rid of them. Or even cut the Representatives by 1/2. And make each state have only one Senator.

DC will always try to take power, that’s what all centrally focused organizations do. Interesting idea about the education department, but why should this be funded by the government at all? Why not a voluntary association, something akin to an academic arm of the NCAA, that does all this, funded by the member institutions? It could still do everything you list, and could do it better.

The difference between a privatised system funded by the members and a government system funded by taxation is that there is no choice to be involved in the government plan, and thus the primary feedback mechanism that demands responsibility is cut off. For any central organization to remain responsible, the members have got to be able to pull their contributions and walk away at any time. Without that, a central body will always become arrogant and corrupt over time.

AJ,
Arguably one of your best posts! I believe the Washington power structure and the supportive media discounted and disparaged the rise of the Tea Party movement in the hopes that it would go away and become docile again. I do not think that will happen. An honest look at the movement shows that it is composed primarily of people who would under â€œnormalâ€ circumstance in the United States never dreamed of now being in a position where they felt they must go to a local town hall meeting with their elected Representative to defend the structure and overall direction of our country. Likewise, making one or more trips to our nationsâ€™ capital to defend the same.
The middle of the road, conservative leaning Americans have been awakened with a knife wound by a group that despises their viewpoints, and their input. Truly a dangerous strategy.
It seems that the Progressives led by Obama are testing the DNA that defines the average American. Certainly, we are witnessing the beginning of a revolution in American politics and structure. I hope that this revolution is not violent and fatal to many as the revolution that gave birth to our great nation. I have children and grandchildren and as any parent, I want the greatest of all nations in the history of man and the best for them, as well as my fellow Americans.
Our forefathers and Founders were under no delusions of political permanence. Many of their writings warned of potential political and military threats to the existence of the representative government that they risked so much to bring to life.
The Democrats and Progressive seem willing to spit in the face of our history, our founding principals, and the consequences of those actions.
My hope as an American and a Christian is that they come to their senses and back off. If they do not then we are indeed heading into a period of incredible turmoil and uncertainty.

AJ, You and I share a very similar backgroung, 2 months shy of half a century in DC, Systems Engineer, etc. I truly share your fear. I fear also that our generation may perhaps be the last to have seen a time when the Government still kind of served the people and it was an honor for those that did to do so.

Is he scary yet? Politicians do not usually go against this kind of hard opposition but this bunch doesn’t give a damn. They will pass it.

Wouldn’t they be surprised if their PHONE LINES continued to be tied up AFTER their vote and for weeks to come? Wonder how they would feel if each ‘yes’ vote continued to receive calls that promised a donation to their opposition for the rest of their lifetime?

They have taken the power of life & death decisions and I would not be surprised to see them rig the elections in our faces. Why not? You don’t get any more serious than this one.

“And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms… The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure.”

Am not all that fond of Thomas, but is this not relevant to us? How many patriots? I do not think it would have to be an impressive number. What of our wives and children? The answer is, what will become of our wives and children if we do not act.

To use a somewhat murky example. Who was it that fought the fight against slavery, who is it that set the slaves free. Great Britain led the fight, not a bad thing to be remembered for, but the struggle went on. In our own country the slaves were proclaimed free (but only those in the rebelling states) by ole Abe, but the struggle was but fairly begun. Unsung heroes through generations until the heirs of slavery rose up and took freedom for themselves. We are not free until we reach for it as individuals. Slavery is still rampart in our nation. Not based upon mere race but still the eternal struggle for freedom.